Kena Upanishad - Part 1 - Odia

କେନୋପନିଷତ୍, traditionally associated with the ତାଲଵକାର stream of the ସାମଵେଦ, is counted among the principal Upanishads studied in Vedanta. It is treated as foundational because it asks a radical question at the root of spiritual inquiry: not merely "what exists," but "by whose power do mind, speech, sight, hearing, and life-force function?"

This first part (ପ୍ରଥମଃ ଖଂଡଃ) lays that foundation through direct questions and paradox-style answers. The movement is from instrument to source: from hearing to the hearer of hearing, from thinking to that by which thought itself is illumined.

Read these verses as a practice text, not only a philosophical text: hear (ଶ୍ରଵଣ), reflect (ମନନ), and internalize (ନିଦିଧ୍ୟାସନ) until awareness is recognized as prior to every changing thought and perception.

॥ ଅଥ କେନୋପନିଷତ୍ ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Now begins the Kena Upanishad, the inquiry into the ultimate source behind all faculties.

ଓଂ ସ@ହ ନା#ଵଵତୁ । ସ@ହ ନୌ# ଭୁନକ୍ତୁ । ସ@ହ ଵୀ@ର୍ୟ#ଂ କରଵାଵହୈ । ତେ@ଜ@ସ୍ଵିନା@ଵଧୀ#ତମସ୍ତୁ@ ମା ଵି#ଦ୍ଵିଷା@ଵହୈ$ ।

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
May the Lord protect us both. May He nourish us both. May we strive together with strength. May our study be radiant and fruitful. May we never be hostile to one another.

ଓଂ ଶାଂତି@ଃ ଶାଂତି@ଃ ଶାଂତି#ଃ ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

ଓଂ ଆପ୍ୟାୟଂତୁ ମମାଂଗାନି ଵାକ୍ପ୍ରାଣଶ୍ଚକ୍ଷୁଃ ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରମଥୋ ବଲମିଂଦ୍ରିୟାଣି ଚ ସର୍ଵାଣି । ସର୍ଵଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମୌପନିଷଦଂ ମାଽହଂ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ନିରାକୁର୍ୟାଂ ମା ମା ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ନିରାକରୋଦନିରାକରଣମସ୍ତ୍ଵନିରାକରଣଂ ମେଽସ୍ତୁ । ତଦାତ୍ମନି ନିରତେ ୟ ଉପନିଷତ୍ସୁ ଧର୍ମାସ୍ତେ ମୟି ସଂତୁ ତେ ମୟି ସଂତୁ ।

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
May my limbs, speech, life-force, eyes, ears, strength, and all faculties be nourished. May I recognize everything as Brahman as taught in the Upanishads. May I never reject Brahman, and may Brahman never be hidden from me. May the disciplines taught in the Upanishads abide in me who is devoted to the Self.

ଓଂ ଶାଂତି@ଃ ଶାଂତି@ଃ ଶାଂତି#ଃ ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

କେନେଷିତଂ ପତତି ପ୍ରେଷିତଂ ମନଃ
କେନ ପ୍ରାଣଃ ପ୍ରଥମଃ ପ୍ରୈତି ୟୁକ୍ତଃ ।
କେନେଷିତାଂ ଵାଚମିମାଂ ଵଦଂତି
ଚକ୍ଷୁଃ ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରଂ କ ଉ ଦେଵୋ ୟୁନକ୍ତି ॥ 1 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
By whose will does the mind go toward its objects? Directed by whom does the life-force function? By whose power do people speak, and what divinity connects the eye and ear to their functions?

ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରସ୍ୟ ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରଂ ମନସୋ ମନୋ ୟଦ୍
ଵାଚୋ ହ ଵାଚଂ ସ ଉ ପ୍ରାଣସ୍ୟ ପ୍ରାଣଃ ।
ଚକ୍ଷୁଷଶ୍ଚକ୍ଷୁରତିମୁଚ୍ୟ ଧୀରାଃ
ପ୍ରେତ୍ୟାସ୍ମାଲ୍ଲୋକାଦମୃତା ଭଵଂତି ॥ 2 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
That which is the hearing in hearing, the thinking in thought, the speech in speech, the life in life-force, and the seeing in sight - realizing that, the wise go beyond limited identification and attain immortality.

ନ ତତ୍ର ଚକ୍ଷୁର୍ଗଚ୍ଛତି ନ ଵାଗ୍ଗଚ୍ଛତି ନୋ ମନଃ ।
ନ ଵିଦ୍ମୋ ନ ଵିଜାନୀମୋ ୟଥୈତଦନୁଶିଷ୍ୟାତ୍ ॥ 3 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
There the eye does not reach, nor speech, nor mind. We do not know it in the usual way, nor how to instruct it as one instructs an object.

ଅନ୍ୟଦେଵ ତଦ୍ଵିଦିତାଦଥୋ ଅଵିଦିତାଦଧି ।
ଇତି ଶୁଶ୍ରୁମ ପୂର୍ଵେଷାଂ ୟେ ନସ୍ତଦ୍ଵ୍ୟାଚଚକ୍ଷିରେ ॥ 4 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
It is indeed other than the known, and beyond the unknown as well. So have we heard from the ancient teachers who explained this to us.

ୟଦ୍ଵାଚାଽନଭ୍ୟୁଦିତଂ ୟେନ ଵାଗଭ୍ୟୁଦ୍ୟତେ ।
ତଦେଵ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ତ୍ଵଂ ଵିଦ୍ଧି ନେଦଂ ୟଦିଦମୁପାସତେ ॥ 5 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
That which speech cannot reveal, but by which speech itself is made possible - know that alone to be Brahman, not this limited object people take as ultimate.

ୟନ୍ମନସା ନ ମନୁତେ ୟେନାହୁର୍ମନୋ ମତମ୍ ।
ତଦେଵ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ତ୍ଵଂ ଵିଦ୍ଧି ନେଦଂ ୟଦିଦମୁପାସତେ ॥ 6 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
That which the mind cannot grasp as an object, but by which the mind itself is illumined - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object of worship.

ୟଚ୍ଚକ୍ଷୁଷା ନ ପଶ୍ୟତି ୟେନ ଚକ୍ଷୂଂଷି ପଶ୍ୟତି ।
ତଦେଵ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ତ୍ଵଂ ଵିଦ୍ଧି ନେଦଂ ୟଦିଦମୁପାସତେ ॥ 7 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
That which the eyes cannot see, but by which the eyes gain their power of seeing - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object people treat as absolute.

ୟଚ୍ଛ୍ରୋତ୍ରେଣ ନ ଶ‍ଋଣୋତି ୟେନ ଶ୍ରୋତ୍ରମିଦଂ ଶ୍ରୁତମ୍ ।
ତଦେଵ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ତ୍ଵଂ ଵିଦ୍ଧି ନେଦଂ ୟଦିଦମୁପାସତେ ॥ 8 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
That which the ear cannot hear, but by which hearing itself takes place - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object taken as ultimate.

ୟତ୍ପ୍ରାଣେନ ନ ପ୍ରାଣିତି ୟେନ ପ୍ରାଣଃ ପ୍ରଣୀୟତେ ।
ତଦେଵ ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ତ୍ଵଂ ଵିଦ୍ଧି ନେଦଂ ୟଦିଦମୁପାସତେ ॥ 9 ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
That which is not animated by the life-force, but by which the life-force itself is impelled - know that alone as Brahman, not this limited object taken as final reality.

॥ ଇତି କେନୋପନିଷଦି ପ୍ରଥମଃ ଖଂଡଃ ॥

Translation (ଭାଵାର୍ଥ):
Thus ends the first section of the Kena Upanishad.

Browse Related Categories: